Lifestyles

The Pittsburgh-based specialty restaurant company, behind the popular Mad Mex, Soba, Umi, Casbah and Kaya establishments, opened its 11th location a little more than three years ago, calling it Eleven. The venue, which spotlights modern American cuisine, is big Burrito's most ambitious to date.

Chef Derek Stevens -- who made a name for himself in Pittsburgh while cooking at the Duquesne Club, Downtown -- assisted in opening Eleven as its executive sous chef. He has since been promoted to executive chef. The Culinary Institute of America graduate says he's enjoying working with prime local ingredients -- Elysian Fields Farm lamb is served as part of a salad and an entree -- and there is an upscale bakery on site.

"We make our own breads, as well as breads for Casbah, Kaya, Cafe Phipps and the (Andy) Warhol Cafe," he says.

Desserts also are prepared in-house, luscious American signatures with a twist, such as banana cream pie with dulce de leche custard; an ice cream sandwich assembled from cacao nib ice cream, hot fudge, caramel sauce and crème anglaise; and a molten chocolate cake topped with almond-caramel ice cream, sea salt and espresso crème anglaise.

The public is welcome to buy bread and desserts retail at Eleven -- from chocolate candies and fruit tarts to five varieties of pie and four of cheesecake -- with 48 hours notice. Breads such as sourdough, French, pumpkin and focaccia can be purchased with 24 hours notice.

Assisting Stevens in the kitchen are sous chefs Leonard Pisano, Robert Carter and Charles Townsend. Bill Fuller is corporate chef for big Burrito Restaurant Group.

For those who come to enjoy the modern atmosphere in the lounge, dining area or upstairs tavern, "we've made significant changes to the original menu," says Stevens, 32, who also spent time as executive chef at Casbah, a Mediterranean-style big Burrito restaurant in Shadyside.

Choices change frequently, he says, primarily to reflect the seasons, but there are certain special dishes that were offered at the restaurant's grand opening that were so popular he wouldn't dare take them off the menu. For example, cage-free, antibiotic-free Pennsylvania chicken -- a pan-roasted breast with braised leg risotto is a keeper -- along with prime New York strip steak, accompanied by potato-goat cheese pierogies. Diners still can order homemade semolina gnocchi, as well as sea scallops in a potato crust.

However, being a casual American restaurant, Eleven offers wide opportunity for improvisation and dabbling in international cuisines, Stevens says.

"We are free to do some items that are more French, or Asian, or Mexican," he says.

White Truffle Cavatelli includes smoked chicken, pea tendrils, morels, melted leeks, dried cranberries and parmesan cheese, for example, and Prince Edward Island Mussels come with housemade chorizo. Soft-shell crabs are flavored with ancho chile mole and tomatillo salsa.

Stevens was born in Maryland and has worked in restaurants in Memphis and Florida, places where he fell in love with Southern cooking, and at the Greystone campus of the CIA in California. His family originally is from Pittsburgh. He moved to Western Pennsylvania when he was 13, graduating several years later from North Allegheny High School.

Eleven has introduced a "tavern" menu that is served in the first-floor bar/lounge -- dotted with comfy chairs and couches -- and in its recently opened second-floor patio.

"It's a bit more casual than the main menu," says Stevens, "with sandwiches and lighter entrees."

Included are rock shrimp and asparagus bruschetta, avocado "fries," a lobster roll, grilled pizza, an Angus beef burger, and rosemary flatbread.

For those who desire a gustatory experience, Eleven also offers a five-course chef's tasting menu and vegetarian tasting menu, each course being matched with a complementary wine.

Eleven restaurant, 1150 Smallman St., Strip District, is open for lunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and for dinner from 5-9 p.m. Sundays, 5-10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 5-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Tavern menu served 2 p.m.-closing seven days a week. Reservations suggested. Details: 412-201-5656, www.bigburrito.com/eleven

Executive chef Derek Stevens uses stone-ground coarse corn grits that are certified organic, produced by Anson Mills, in South Carolina.

For the grits:

• 6 cups buttermilk, whole milk or water

• 1 cup stone-ground coarse corn grits

• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the collard greens:

• 1 cup diced raw black pepper bacon

• 1/2 cup yellow onion cut in small dice

• 1/4 cup carrots cut in small dice

• 1/4 cup celery cut in small dice

• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic

• 1 pound washed collard greens, stemmed

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 cup chicken stock or water

For the shrimp:

• 6 wild Texas shrimp (12 per pound), fresh if possible, head on, peeled and deveined

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 tablespoon olive-vegetable oil blend

• 1 tablespoon minced shallots

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup white wine

• About 3 tablespoons water, plus more if needed

To make the grits:Heat the buttermilk in a large pot to boiling. Add the grits in a stream, whisking constantly (as you would to make polenta), until all the grits are incorporated (see Photo 1). Turn the heat to very low and cook until all of the grits are tender -- with stone-ground coarse grits, the size of the kernels will vary, and larger pieces will take longer to cook than small ones. The cooking time should be 45-60 minutes; stir frequently. The grits are done when the kernels are tender throughout. Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons butter until incorporated.

To make the collards: Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over low heat until the fat is rendered. Increase the heat. Add the yellow onion, carrots and celery and saute for 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, until aromatic (Photo 2). Add the collard greens, tearing each leaf into large pieces by hand as you do. Saute until the collards wilt, then add the apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper and chicken stock (Photo 3). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes, until the greens are tender.

To make the shrimp: Season the shrimp with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large skillet and add the oil. Add the shrimp and sear on one side until lightly browned, for about 2 minutes. Turn and cook the other side for about 2 minutes (Photo 4). The shrimp will be almost done. Remove from the pan to a plate and set aside.

To the skillet, add the shallots and saute for about 1 minute, then add 1 teaspoon garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, until aromatic. Add 1 tablespoon butter; when it melts, add the white wine and 2-3 tablespoons water. Heat to simmering, then return the shrimp to the pan. Simmer the shrimp until done, adding more water if needed,

To plate: Place about 1/2 cup cooked grits in each of two shallow bowls. Top each with 1/4 cup greens and some of the cooking liquid (called pot liquor). Stack 3 shrimp each over the greens and grits (Photo 5).

Makes 2 first-course servings.

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